Elena Rybakina’s Stunning Comeback Dents Australia’s Hopes in Billie Jean King Cup Quarter-Finals

Australia’s journey in the Billie Jean King Cup has encountered its first hurdle after the national team fell to Kazakhstan in an exhilarating contest.

Elena Rybakina, a former world No.3, emerged as the hero for the visiting side, rallying from a break down in both the first and second sets to secure a victory over top-ranked Australian Kim Birrell.

The Australian team was in dire need of Birrell to score an upset in her match after Maya Joint’s first-round loss put them in a precarious situation.

At times, Birrell pushed her higher-ranked opponent to the limit, even building a 5-1 lead over the world No.10 in the second set.

After managing to hold serve to force a deciding set, she watched as the 2022 Wimbledon champion mounted a fierce comeback, breaking Birrell twice to even the match at 5-5.

Despite her valiant effort against Rybakina’s overpowering game, Birrell ultimately succumbed, losing 6-3, 7-6 (4).

“It was an incredibly tough match,” Rybakina remarked.

“(Birrell) performed exceptionally well throughout the match. My serve did falter a bit in the second set, and I started losing ground, but eventually, I regained my timing and energy.

“We had some great rallies, and during critical moments, I managed to play a bit better under pressure and made it to the tiebreak where I felt more at ease.”

Though she came agonisingly close to victory against a leading player, Birrell expressed that she exited the court with newfound confidence in her game.

“While I’m feeling disappointed now, I believe I can certainly draw confidence from this match,” she reflected.

“Competing in a tight match against someone who’s firmly established in the top 10… it has definitely heightened my belief in my performance.”

“I’m excited to see what this year brings for me.”

Australia has not missed the quarter-finals of this tournament since 2018, finishing as runners-up in both 2019 and 2022.

Non-playing captain Sam Stosur made only a single adjustment to her lineup in recent weeks, bringing in teenage sensation Joint for her debut in the team format.

Joint took the place of three-time grand slam quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanovic, who remained on the sidelines during the matches against Kazakhstan.

The 18-year-old faced a tough challenge, losing in straight sets to world No.78 Yulia Putintseva, 6-2, 6-1.

Australia will take on Colombia on Saturday, hoping to secure one last opportunity for qualification into the finals, while the South American side will compete against Kazakhstan on Friday.